Remember the blind man who was able to see his wife for the first time, thanks to special glasses? This is kind of like that, but a little bit different.
For most of us who live with the privilege of having our senses intact, there is so much going on in the world around us that we constantly take for granted. Like, have you ever thought that the sound of changing channels on a remote control can be really distressing and shrill to people who’ve never heard it before? I hardly even notice my remote makes a noise, that’s how used to the tiny clicks I’ve become.
And I definitely never considered that people who are deaf or hard of hearing might not see any problem with letting a loud one rip in public — or might not even know what snoring is — until someone asked this fascinating question: “Deaf people of reddit: What are some things you thought were silent, but later found out weren’t?”
From people who’ve received cochlear implants to families of the hearing-impaired, the internet is flocking to share interesting tidbits about the cacophonies of everyday sounds we take for granted.
Read on for 20 stories that will change the way you think about sound.
1
Doorbells
2
Water
3
Cats
4
Music in Stereo
5
Changing Channels
6
Vacuum Cleaners
7
Escalators, vending machines, and people outside of your peripheral vision.
8
Flatulence
9
Bugs
10
Paper Bags
11
Toilets
12
Pots and Pans
13
Cockroaches
14
Each siren makes a distinct sound.
15
Snoring
16
The silent letters in words.
17
Planes
18
Clocks
19
TVs
20
The voices of the ones you love.